Location-based context delivery

Abstract

An enhanced 3GPP network architecture can enables a SCEF to interact with SCS/AS via APIs that provide location based context; GMLC to get the UE's location, available RATs, and congestion levels; HSS to get the UE's location, available RATs, and congestion levels; PCEF (via PCRF) to obtain the congestion level at the P-GW; RCAF (via PCRF) to obtain the user plane congestion levels at the E-UTRAN, UTRAN, and WLAN; and serving nodes (MME, SGSN, 3GPP AAA Server) to get the available RATs and congestion levels.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the apparatus further including computer-executable instructions stored in the memory of the apparatus which, when executed by the processor of the node, cause the apparatus to:
 receive a location context request from a server, wherein the location context request identifies a specific user equipment (UE) for which location context information is requested; 
 determine whether the server is authorized to obtain location context information of the specific UE; 
 in response to the location context request from the server, obtain the location context information that is specific to the UE from a core network node; and 
 if the server is authorized to obtain location context information of the specific UE, provide the location context information to the server,
 wherein the location context information comprises congestion levels of one or more nodes that serve the UE, and the congestion levels comprise user plane congestion information or control plane congestion information. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location context information further includes a current geographical location of the UE. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location context information further includes information related to one or more Radio Access Technologies (RATs) that are available to the UE. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the core network node comprises at least one of a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), or a 3GPP Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) Server. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the core network node comprises the PCRF that Policy obtains the location context information from the PCEF or the RCAF. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF). 
     
     
       7. A method performed by an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor and memory, the method comprising:
 receiving a location context request from a server, wherein the location context request identifies a specific user equipment (UE) for which location context information is requested; 
 determining whether the server is authorized to obtain location context information of the specific UE; 
 in response to the location context request from the server, obtaining the location context information that is specific to the UE from a core network node; and 
 if the server is authorized to obtain location context information of the specific UE, providing the location context information to the server,
 wherein the location context information comprises congestion levels of one or more nodes that serve the UE, and the congestion levels comprise user plane congestion information or control plane congestion information. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF). 
     
     
       9. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the apparatus further including computer-executable instructions stored in the memory of the apparatus which, when executed by the processor of the node, cause the apparatus to:
 receive a group message delivery request from a server, wherein the group message delivery request identifies a specific group of user equipments (UEs) for which location context information is requested; 
 determine whether the server is authorized to obtain location context information of the specific group of UEs; 
 if the group is authorized to obtain location context information of the specific group of UEs, in response to the group message delivery request from the server, obtain the location context information that is specific to UEs within the group from a core network node; and 
 based on the location context information, determine a method for executing the group message delivery request, 
 wherein the location context information comprises congestion levels of one or more nodes that serve the group, and the congestion levels comprise user plane congestion information of control plane congestion information. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the location context information further includes at least one of a location that is specific to UEs within the group, or information related to one or more Radio Access Technologies that are available to the group. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF).